Allatoona Creek

It's been just under two months since The Accident and I'm finally back on the mountain bike.

I'd have been on it a week ago but I've been waiting on a tire. During the crash, I herniated the tire I had on there so badly that it rubbed the fork on the ride out. I love the Continental Race Kings, but they, in particular, have that problem. Too much sideways pressure rips fibers in the sidewall. The tire looks fine until you spin the wheel, and then it looks like you tacoed your rim. Such was the case with mine. I was glad to just have needed a tire though. The rim was fine.

As I am wont to do, I spun a lap at Allatoona this past Halloween afternoon. In fact, I headed directly to Mo-Flo to "get back on the horse" as they say.

Sadly, the horse was closed.

Which, kind of makes sense, it was really leafy and a little slick. I wasn't the only one disappointed though. Four other riders had come up the hill behind me, just to have to turn around as well.

No problem though, there were plenty more miles out there. Unfortunately, I felt like I'd been off the bike for 2 months. It seemed the road hadn't kept me in off-road shape as well as I'd hoped. No problem there either though, off-road shape seems to come back quickly.

Aside from having roadie-brain and roadie-legs, I felt pretty good. I noticed whenever I had to absorb a decent hit, my left shoulder blade and the ribs on the left side felt funny. They didn't hurt, they just felt weird and uncomfortable.

I was a little pressed for time so I only rode for about an hour and a half, but it was a good ride. I felt good on the bike and good in the woods.

Good all-around.